An electronic smoking device, such as an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), typically has a housing accommodating an electric power source (e.g. a single use or rechargeable battery, electrical plug, or other power source), and an electrically operable atomizer. The atomizer vaporizes or atomizes liquid supplied from a reservoir and provides vaporized or atomized liquid as an aerosol. Control electronics control the activation of the atomizer. In some electronic cigarettes, an airflow sensor is provided within the electronic smoking device which detects a user puffing on the device (e.g., by sensing an under-pressure or an air flow pattern through the device). The airflow sensor indicates or signals the puff to the control electronics to power up the device and generate vapor. In other e-cigarettes, a switch is used to power up the e-cigarette to generate a puff of vapor.
Currently most e-cigarettes in the market have a wick whose function is to transport liquid from a liquid reservoir to the heating element. This wick has a number of issues: Often, the liquid is not transported fast enough to the heating element, which causes the temperature in the heating element to rise above 200-220 degrees which can lead to an increase of by-products; the rise of temperature also causes liquid particles to deposit and to attach to the heating element which over time builds residues around the heating element that cause the flavor to be altered. In systems in which the atomizer and the liquid reservoir are not coupled the wick will always contain liquid when the liquid container is replaced. If the e-liquid flavor in the liquid container is changed, flavor will be mixed in the wick until all of the previous e-liquid flavor is consumed, hence there will be number of puffs in which a crossover of flavors exists. Further, the particle size may be difficult to control.